Yearly Archives: 2015

Degrassi, Featured

Degrassi cancelled after 14 seasons

3 Comments

The doors are closing on Degrassi High … at least for now. The long-running teen drama will come to and end in Canada on MTV and in the U.S. on TeenNick. The second half of Season 14 begins on Monday, July 20, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV and will conclude with an hour-long series finale preceded by a special entitled “It Goes There, Degrassi’s Most Talked-About Moments.”

“Thank you to Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, and all the cast and crew at Epitome Pictures for delivering Bell Media with 14 years of creative and engaging content that truly captured the spirit of Canadian youth through truthful and provocative stories,” said Phil King, president of CTV, Sports and entertainment programming. “We are immensely proud of Degrassi, and our longstanding partnership with Linda and Stephen. We wish the entire Epitome team the best of luck, and look forward to working with them again in the future.”

“Few producers are as blessed as we have been, working with so many talented and creative individuals at TeenNick for 14 seasons of Degrassi; including 385 episodes and over 100 pieces of original short-form web content,” executive producer Stephen Stohn stated. “We thank all those at TeenNick who have worked so hard over the years to help us create a television series that changes with the times and continues to authentically connect and interact with the youth audience.”

But later in the day came this intriguing statement from DHX Media, apparently keeping the door open for more Degrassi: “Degrassi is one of DHX Media’s marquee brands and we expect to be able to provide an update in the days ahead for fans, the media and the market. The Degrassi fan base runs deep worldwide and the longevity of the series speaks for itself.  Stay tuned for further developments regarding Degrassi.”

Is Degrassi being shopped around to other networks—like the DHX-owned Family Channel—or will it head online as a web exclusive? Stay tuned.

The Degrassi franchise celebrated its 35th anniversary this year. Co-created by Linda Schuyler, the series has won accolades and awards—including two International Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award— for telling no-nonsense stories of teen love and angst through an unflinching lens.

The latest incarnation has churned out an impressive list of cast members who have moved on to careers in the entertainment industry, including rap superstar Drake, Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Declan Coyne (Terra Nova), Shenae Grimes (90210), Stacey Farber (Saving Hope) and Justin Kelly (Between). Current cast include Eric Osborne, Ana Golja, Sara Waisglass, Andre Kim and Ainslinn Paul.

The franchise began with The Kids of Degrassi Street (1982-86), followed by Degrassi Junior High (1987-89) and Degrassi High (1989-91).

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Orphan Black

Link: On the Set of ‘Orphan Black’ With Tatiana Maslany as She Reveals Her Dream Co-Star

3 Comments

From Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter:

On the Set of ‘Orphan Black’ With Tatiana Maslany as She Reveals Her Dream Co-Star
“Everybody wants me so badly to want an Emmy nomination. I just want to work on a cool movie with Paul Thomas Anderson, or I want to work with a cool actor like Jake Gyllenhaal. That means something to me,” she says, newly sprung from the hair and makeup chair between scenes. Continue reading.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Between, Rookie Blue

Tonight: Rookie Blue, Between, The Liquidator

From network episode descriptions:

Rookie Blue, Global – “Uprising”
A riot breaks out at a women’s correctional institute while Andy, Juliet, Nick, and Gail are there to transfer prisoners. They end up separated and in a lock-down situation that finds Andy and Juliet trapped with a woman desperate to prove her innocence.

Between, City – “Crossing Lines”
Tensions escalate in Pretty Lake when the power goes out, cutting off all communication to the outside world. Plus, Wiley (Jennette McCurdy) has a plan to escape and enlists Adam’s (Jesse Carere) help, but when they stumble into a trap, their relationship starts to crumble under the weight of Wiley’s secrets.

The Liquidator, OLN – “Floor Your Friends”
Jeff hopes to get a great deal on a huge load of seized hardwood flooring from his old pal Sheldon, but Sheldon knows all of Jeff’s tricks and isn’t falling for any of them.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Featured, Saving Hope, Spun Out

CTV’s unwavering support for Saving Hope, Spun Out’s future still uncertain

2 Comments

CTV is happy with Saving Hope. So much so when executives from Bell Media jetted to Los Angeles to purchase American acquisitions, the one untouchable timeslot was Thursdays at 9 p.m.

“We wanted to plant a flag that on the biggest night of the week in the home run timeslot of that night, Saving Hope is not only our choice but is going to compete for the No. 1 spot every week,” says Mike Cosentino, senior vice-president of programming for CTV Networks and CraveTV. “We think this is a great opportunity for Saving Hope.” The broadcast veteran notes there a big stories headed viewers’ way in Season 4, which began production on 18 episodes in and around Toronto.

Appearing in recurring roles are Kim Shaw (The Good Wife) as Dr. Cassie Williams, a book smart intern learning how to practice medicine, not just read about it; and Max Bennett (Anna Karenina) as Dr. Patrick Curtis, a surgical fellow who has been filling in during Alex’s mat leave. Travis Milne (Rookie Blue) appears in a four-episode arc. Repeats of Hope will air Saturdays at 10 p.m. on CTV.

CTV and CTV Two’s 2015-16 broadcast schedules were announced Thursday morning in Toronto, with the Erica Durance/Michael Shanks drama, newsmagazine W5, culinary competition MasterChef Canada and crime drama Motive all being part of the mix. Those last two join CTV’s midseason schedule.

Saturdays on CTV Two, meanwhile, boast old instalments of The Listener, Flashpoint and Motive, a move Cosentino says offers new viewers a chance to catch up on the crime trio.

One series absent from either schedule was the second season of Dave Foley’s sitcom, Spun Out. Plans to launch the laffer this past March after a high-profile return following the Super Bowl was scuttled when co-star J.P. Manoux was charged with voyeurism following an incident in the Toronto condo he rented during filming. The series remains in programming purgatory until the case is sorted out.

“We said it then and we’re still in the same place,” Cosentino says. “We’re holding off on our decision until we can get more information. As to whether it will make air or not is to be continued at the moment.”

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Featured, Masterchef Canada, Saving Hope

Saving Hope returns to CTV this fall

12 Comments

This morning, CTV was the last of the major Canadian networks to announce a 2015/16 schedule after the annual Hollywood buying spree.

CBC this fall has a predominantly Canadian lineup with some UK and Australian acquisitions, City has more Sunnyside plus CBC’s Mr. D crossing networks, and Global has … nothing. While  boasting “17 hours of simulcast, more than any other Canadian network,” CTV has made room in their fall schedule for a new season of Saving Hope in a plum Thursday 9 pm timeslot, as well as their Saturday stalwart newsmagazine W5 celebrating 50 years on air.

Continuing Canadian daytime shows include The Marilyn Denis Show and The Social, and CTV will host The 2016 Juno Awards as well.

MasterChef Canada and Motive will return midseason in 2016, making CTV the home to the most Cancon of the major private networks this coming year (thanks at least in part to their required benefits spending after the Astral acquisition).

Saturday on baby sister network CTV TWO is repurposed Cancon night, with reruns of The Listener, Flashpoint, Motive and W5.

Look for the full 2015/16 schedule announcement here.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail